


The Hanging Tree

by Emmawritesalot (orphan_account)



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25624663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Emmawritesalot
Summary: It's as if she's haunting him from the grave, mocking him with her wretched birds and her music.In which Coriolanus Snow hears a few songs and is fairly certain another musical girl is tormenting him.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	The Hanging Tree

**Author's Note:**

> So I finished Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and was inspired. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

The first time Coriolanus Snow remembers is during the 74th annual Hunger Games. He's sitting with his 16-year-old granddaughter Lorien, watching Katniss Everdeen hold her little ally's body in her arms as she dies. He thinks nothing of it, really, though he dislikes Everdeen a hefty amount. Showing unity between districts in the games (genuine unity, not half-formed alliances based on nothing but a desire to survive), could cause issues. He makes a mental note to mention this to Crane, to make sure District 2 wins. He's about to get up and leave when he freezes. Music, clear, beautiful notes are coming through the speakers. 

_Deep in the meadow,  
Under the willow,  
A bed of grass,  
A soft green pillow ___

__Suddenly, he's transported back years ago to when he was 18, sitting in a meadow, with a near-identical voice singing those same words. As Katniss continues to sing, more and more memories of Lucy Gray rush up into his mind. Their first meeting, their time in 12, and finally, their separation through the woods. There's a steady ringing in his ears as he remembers every inch of Lucy Gray's appearance, remembers her lovely, unique voice, and it's as if the girl is standing in front of him now, smiling at him with her mischevious, knowing smileThe anger he had felt at that final interaction bubbles up inside him, so much so that the wine glass in his hand slips out of his grips and shatters to the floor. The noise brings him back to reality, and he hears Lorien's voice, sarcastic and scornful._ _

__"I didn't know you had so much against music Grandfather," she said drily. He turns to face her and sees that her eyes haven't left the screen, where Katniss is still singing to Rue. He doesn't miss the empathy in her eyes._ _

__"Just that song my dear, just that song," he says. Lorien just shrugs in reply. Yes, they get along swell._ _

__But this is of little importance. He will deal with his granddaughter later._ _

__No, for now he needs to be rid of the girl from 12. Both of them. Remove Katniss, and you remove Lucy Gray. Filled with more confidence at the thought of his solution, he exits the room to speak to Seneca Crane, but not before the final words of the song echo in his mind._ _

___here your dreams are sweet,  
and tomorrow brings them true,  
here is the place where I love you_  
\-------  
The second time he remembers, Coriolanus Snow is winning. Not much longer now, and District 13 will be in utter ruin, along with the rebellion.

Again.

"President Snow," a woman's voice says through the door. "We're live in about two minutes." Snow smiles as he places his pure white rose in his lapel, victory surging through him.

"Noted," he says. Seconds later he's standing behind his podium in his quarters, and Peeta Mellark is sitting in an elevated chair directly to his right. "Well, Mr. Mellark," Snow says, "Are you ready to go on air?" Peeta nods stiffly and looks into the camera, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Soon, Ms. Everdeen will be gone Mr. Mellark. She will without a doubt, never be able to hurt you again." A look of uneasiness passes over Peeta's face.

"What does that mean?"

"My dear Mr. Mellark, I think you know exactly what that means." Peeta's eyes harden, and he looks back into the camera. Yes, he knows, the president thinks. He waves a man over to him quickly. "You have erased all sympathies the boy has to Ms. Everdeen?" The man nods.

"Yes. He shouldn't be a problem," he replies, glancing over to the boy, who is looking more and more nervous by the second.

"I hope that's true, for your sake," Snow says coolly. The man looks as if he wishes to say something else, but decides against it, walking to stand behind the camera.

"We're live in 3…2…" The voice of the cameraman drifts off, and the red light begins to flash.

They begin.

For a few minutes, the broadcast goes smoothly as Peeta anxiously and angrily explains his need for the ceasefire, and as he does so, Snow feels a strong sense of victory. The rebels will be distracted with Peeta, watching him while the bombs fall and destroy district 13.

And then without warning, they are interrupted with an image of Katniss Everdeen, standing in the wreckage of what must be District 12. It lasts for a moment, just a moment, but it still happens. Peeta has become confused, distracted. Evidently, he has seen the screen as well, and stutters as he tries to continue with his speech. The next few minutes is a battle between the Capitol technicians and the rebels, both fighting to gain control of the broadcast.

And amidst this technological fight, a small segment of footage plays. Something that makes Snow's blood run cold and transports him back years and years. A song.

_Are you, are you,  
coming to the tree?  
Where they strung up a man  
They say who murdered three._

And suddenly, he is not seeing Katniss Everdeen. He is seeing a different girl with a love for songbirds and colors. She's standing in a forest, grey eyes and a kind smile, with a voice that rings through the air, clear as day.

Lucy Gray.

He thought he was rid of her. Thought he had banished her from his mind once and for all. But no. Just a few seconds is all it takes to bring back all of those memories. He tries to push them away, tries to keep his composure as he asks if Peeta has any parting words for Katniss Everdeen. Peeta's eyes flick toward the president nervously, and then back to the camera.

"Katniss, how do you think this will end?" he asks desperately. "What will be left? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol, not in the Districts. And you in Thirteen," Snow inhales sharply and looks at Peeta's wild eyes on the camera. He looks as if he's fighting for control. He takes a deep breath, and manages to get out the words, "Dead by morning!" The set explodes in a flurry of activity at this, and Snow is furious. Someone is going to die tonight. 

"End it," he says sharply, and then everything is in turmoil. Peeta is knocked unconscious, letting out a cry of pain as he goes, blood splattering on the white tile flooring. After Peeta is carried away to his cell, Snow sits down in a new room, contemplating what he must do. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of the first victor of District 12 to no avail. It's as if she's haunting him from the grave, mocking him with her wretched birds and her music. When he opens his eyes, he can practically see her standing before him, smiling curiously, a wound in her side as she sings,

_Are you, are you,  
coming to the tree?  
Wear a necklace of rope  
Side by side with me._

He can't get the last words she spoke to him of his head, and angrily reaches for a glass, throwing it across the room in the direction of the apparition. But of course, she isn't really there, and it shatters against the opposite wall.

"Get out!" he roars at the memory. "You're done, I'm done. You aren't welcome here!" Not here, in his place of refuge. Not here, when the very reason he came back to the Capitol was to escape her in the first place.

The image of her fades, but her voice remains. It's like she's speaking to him. He can practically hear her light, tinkling laugh as the old saying she used to say floats up from his deepest memory. _Well you know what they say, the show's not over until the Mockingjay sings._

_Yes, Lucy Gray,_ he thinks bitterly. _And soon there will be no Mockingjay. There will be no more of your precious birds left to torment me._ But not because Ms. Everdeen will die, no. Because he has the boy, and that is the tool he will use to break her. 

Hours later, he's standing in front of their best torturers. "More," he says. "We have to make him forget entirely." His fists clench angrily. "Make it worse for her."

"I understand," the woman nods briskly. She turns to the tall man next to her. "More venom." He nods and goes away to fetch the poison.

He goes to sleep that night feeling slightly better, feeling in control again. But even he can't completely block out the last few lines of Lucy Gray's song.

_Strange things did happen here,  
No stranger would it be,  
If we met at midnight  
In the hanging tree_

**Author's Note:**

> Well there you go! Comments/Reviews are appreciated! Thank you for reading!
> 
> :)


End file.
